Birth of the Federation: Re-Birth of Cardassia
by thebritwriter
Summary: Based on the game 'Birth of the Federation' comes a campaign story of the revival of the Cardassians and if the price was worth it.
1. Chapter 1

**Birth of the Federation: Re-Birth of Cardassia**

**Prologue**

…_for in the struggle of survival, every resource is critical._

* * *

What was in his mind was not what he call a dream; No one, who was alive, able and lived would forget what he recalled. The days when the Dominion switched from allies to betrayers turning their ships and guns to the defenseless Cardassia, her no one could protect when the betrayers started their slaughter, death rained and billions were vanished from the lives of the remaining millions with her beauty lost and ravaged. He can recall how the Sky coloured to a mixure of fire and flashes of burning superweapons heated with plasma and other deadly projectile. Will history ever learn that their soon to be leader was once a whimpering teen begging the war to end, screaming and sobbing, begging the very attackers to stop?

He would sit down when those memories got too much and shut his eyes, originally and rather foolishly he thought he could forget and dream of something else, he wouldn't talk about the trauma. Cardassia needed every man and woman to be strong. To come out and admit all of that would have meant he be in some clinic for the discarded and shamed, and never be where he was now.

A place of power.

Instead he dreamt of the carnage, and the humiliating aftermath where those Alien parasitic groups preyed on the ravaged victim. In his own perverse reasoning the trauma became his dream, a reminder to keep his anger his "justice" alive. For it was the atrocity that he saw how they were trampled under the champions of injustice.

How many Cardassians have been murdered by traitors from the Gamma?

How many were forced to see Klingons, who started the war! Who marched into Cardassian cities, waving that daggered thug of a flag while belting out their egos singing of their atrocities on Cardassian ships!

How much did the opportunistic Romulans stole? both in knowledge and of Cardassia's daughters whenever a Romulan officer noted one.

And the Federation. The hypocrites!

The ones who watched by playing the harp of peace but simply biding its time only to arrive and erase Cardassian heritage, rejecting traditional authority of state to mob driven populists. A "utopia of equality" indeed!

At the same time that was what broke his sleep and made him walk round anxiously trying to calm down and to resign briefly the fact the actions happened that aliens came and people suffered because of them.

The last part of his though was the hardest thing he had to see and endure for it was ever present. An active dismemberment of a system devised to tear up the once unified state now broken up into a million squabbling segments of individual self-interests he wish he could break his façade and just shout at them, tell them they were just herded animals, oblivious to the slaughter factory of their culture and heritage while the Federation mocks them. While every other power that killed a Cardassian was never brought to justice but her own leaders were!

He paused and breathed, he nearly screamed all of it out, he could not risk losing his avatar of facade, if he did that he would lose everything and be nothing more than the ranting imbecilic wanting to make things they were by shouting really loud and doing nothing.

Tonight he knew the trauma in his dreams will at least strengthen his resolve for another time but this wasn't to be any other. This was the time when the wait was nearly over.

At some point after the deaths insanity and surrender of the old Cardassia there was a void of identity. With the right people and skills any one could assume the name of anyone.

It was morbidly preposterous at first over how many took on the names as the "lost" son of Damar, Lemec, Tain and other "heroes" that was martyred in that great moment of defiance…which was inevitably a defeat. But nobody wanted to think that.

Every political rival or one setup by the aliens had with them some candidate that claimed to have a mythical heritage making him a candidate to know what is best for everyone. He remembered the occasion he kindly told one "self-declared child" that if they were really the lost son of "so-and-so" it was not because they could be re-found and declared the messiah, no, it's because they were the discarded bastard that the named above could not be bothered with. While that did paint him as a normal and right minded thinker, it was also because he found those pretenders a nuisance that tested his own tolerance to the limit.

But with a sip of his drink did he admit he too joined the "heritage claim" there were options of course, over a billion deceased to pick from.

He could have stuck with his original name but that came with some…stigma and he needed to reach places.

He was careful with the name choice, there was no denying they were all seen as war criminals by the aliens but ten or more years of puppet administration will not change the minds of those raised by the Obsiden. That can be revised. No he was more concerned with picking a name that wasn't hijacked by an army dreamer and was ridiculed to the ground with it. He needed one that and carried with it "respect"

Even more so he had to be careful with the reveal, letting people discover his heritage for him as opposed to being the basis of a brag, laying evidence of the discovery within one of the few untainted landscapes of Cardassian in a quaint small historical town by a lake where the sun was known to rise and set at its most brightest. Fitting for the intellectual name he had given himself, something that will tie in nicely, providing it all went accordingly.

Adopting the new name was one thing, laying low was another, the genocide of the past made him witness to horrors unimagined but opened a newer and even stronger aspect of him, one he did not think he had. He had courage now, to take life, by his own hands even, to grasp and crush the throat all the while maintaining his dignity. It was a necessary action to his rise and shown a calm and professional approach. He would not mock taking the life of another Cardassian but to progress and keep his identity a secret he must be strong as he moved up the political ladder, but not too high up…He had no wish to mingle with traitors when the intent was to rid Cardassia of them.

In a way the so-called sons of previous war heroes were a blessing, their loud obnoxious nationalistic war drumming was perfect, they created an identity people could see as insane, even if he did share those views, the difference was he had the sense to keep quiet and make sure the political power aligned to his agenda as opposed to just screaming with a banner hoping for a moment of coverage.

There was a feeling of danger that the system of the corrupt would consume him that the revenge would never be achieved and the handshakes and fixed grins with the aliens and their puppets would become a routine occurrence, and for a time it was. He had dark days of just staring at the ceiling wondering that if that was all he would reach out to when it should had been the stars. For a time he was a failure till the opportunity was present. No more was he eyeing the ceiling but the TV screen. The success was about to come.

The coverage was live; it had to happen live for the impact to be felt, to be real. There was even the non-intended causalities, the tragic converts to the failing federation created system, but their deaths will have meaning, the greater the loss the more of impact to his favour it will create. For now they waited and cheered to see their elected lead and other sell-outs members of the failing regime arrive. some were not present but that was fine he could take care of them, they were unimportant and he can be generous to those who were of no threat.

Retirement. Reassignments. And failing those two generous offers…accidents.

His breath held as the figures beamed into the outside of the "civilian" assembly, they came by federation transporters to a federation approved named building of government. He took another swig, the alcohol was strong and he bit his teeth into the metal cup thinking again of the erosion of our ways. It was therefore fitting that the bomb that suddenly came to them was a federation one.

The only tragedy was that he had to kill a few good people for it, people who would had been fine Cardassians under his command but instead will take solace knowing they died to someone who will make their people great once more.

The people on screen vanished in terror as it detonated, the footage shook and he was a realist to know the statistics, they were just strangers. If he to be frank about it the higher then predicted turnout affected would help make his case. The turnout wasn't proof the puppet regime was working he'll have to word that one carefully. His biggest challenge, besides condolences was to make the inevitable argument that it was the federation no longer needing it's puppet. He just needed to point out to history.

The changeling in the Klingon Empire, the changeling disease, the supernova of the Romulas star. All of them the federation knew and very conveniently solved when it was an advantage, with the outcome to their benefit.

This attack would become no different, a blatant assassination he would say after the investigation. Why? So the federation can establish a permanent foothold, by claiming extremists framed them and will get their remaining puppets of this attack to vote for "security measures" A starbase will be built and it will never leave. Terok Nor never left Bajor, it switched hands and name but the base remained and Bajor was in check. Constant suppression, and eradication of culture, by Federation surveillance. They would do this; he just had to fabricate things to counter the inevitable.

No so-called son of Tain or Damar would ever sell that as the truth, they need to be swayed by a right minded thinker, "one of the people" to quote the humans.

He had exchanged several years of Cardassian pride for appeasement, playing to the tune of a moderate's song that made him fit into the gloves of the puppet regime. If only people could understand that sacrifice.

He will be involved in the investigation for this, working hard to be trusted and fooling his way within and when emergency votes come, will it be slipped about his heritage, adding support to be a worthwhile leader in this time of crisis for the name matters.

He will get the leadership by then that investigation will be concluded where he will act up his heartbroken shock at the evidence of Federation betrayal.

Everything upto now has worked so far, so why fail now?

Calls were ringing in, internal security were calling out for his name "Are you ok?" "There's an accident" and many other frantic calls, He took it in, this was a good sign already people were focused on him. It was beginning and he'll reply soon, playing the "people's politician" the mass favourite before acting with shock on the truth and gambling the mass trust he earned will favour him to his actions. An election on the basis the alien control will be severed and Cardassia will find her destiny among the stars once again.

It would be a challenge, any such fleet was relegated to scouts, and schematics for the ninth generation of agriculture and energy facilities that were once of the threshold of producing was a long way away, the aliens had relegated everyone to the first generation of everything and what happened outside the home system was not clear. He had some intel, himself and trusted few other had revived Phoenix facility bringing some clarity on the interstellar affairs and some fixed grin conversations with federation diplomats revealed the shock of Romulas star but that was the last incident he could confirm that would have an impact on his plans.

Replying to the messages with the same deceptive character as before did he laid out his plans to those that communicated, while to himself taking mental notes on who could be his ally, who secretly shared his views. Observing and subtly testing for their true persona and if it was one he could make use of.

He resided on the highest floor of the apartment, walking to the balcony to gaze at the frantic filled skies, civilian authorities flying about, alerts shouted and unrest was clear. He eyed the night sky, the stars shining; the arrogant heavens presided over the fair Cardassia.

Yet he knew that there was disunity out there, the Federation and Klingons were quite far and did not know why…and the Romulans? Did they recover from their supernova?

It took some discipline but he blanked out the noise around him and gained a sense of tranquility, but in truth it was his rage finding clarity. Finally, the machinations to take charge of Cardassia and to see her repay kindly to those heavens will be returned. Then maybe he will be at peace with the injustice. He felt his comm, woven onto his "people's" uniform just where his heart was. A neat symbolic gesture.

"Minister Moset. You are ready for beam up"

"Moset" smiled, soon "Minister" will be replaced with Legate. A title that will be revived when it all goes as he expects it to.

'Proceed'

He took another look up to the stars, his new frontier before being beamed up, recalling the wisdom one of his old friends vowing to recite it one day to the world when everything was under his way, the old way of Cardassia.

_Control is the only thing that matters, methods are not important, efficiency is what counts in the end. Exploit what you conquer for in the struggle of survival every resource is critical. _

_History is written by the victors._

* * *

Very different from me, I decided to something I never got round to doing but somehow managed to do, write up a novelization of my campaign as the Cardassians based on the 'Birth of the Federation' Game which exists as freeware and is still a good 4x game. And indeed this is all about playing as the villain. Bit of difficulty in picking out characters some will be lore, others self made and some based on lore.

(To clarify lore is canon content not Data's twin)


	2. Chapter 2

It was a world alien to its own native.

Within a glimpse of her frail memory everything was gone, her father, the street she was raised on.

The status that she, a once privileged member of society, groomed to be part of the continuing torch holder, upholding Cardassia's fire of honour and valor. Establishing authority, civilization took generations, and if there was one thing she learnt with bitter resenting truth is that the fire of Cardassia was not strong enough to endure through war. All it needed was one day of betrayal to lose everything.

Everything within her boundary of exploration as a child. Everything within the city and privilege was gone.

The suit with a clear visor was necessary despite the cumbersome movement in scraping up the remnants of a radioactive fallout, a Ditherium plant was here, than came the bombs.

The Dominion didn't even need to hit the city, the plant was enough to do their dirty work. In all their years, the occupiers did not attend to this, or at a pace so staggeringly slow they may as well not have bothered to get started. Maybe, she assumed, was one of their intentions, diverting the migration to the cities they rebuilt and keep them there. Using homes to channel their indocturation to the fallen populous. What could a Cardassian do besides from sit, watch and be slowly assimilated to a flag and culture that was not their own.

The faction that oversaw this particular area were the Romulans, sometimes there was a mixed group, the token inspector from the other alien occupiers but she knew "Alliance" was less a "keystone" and more of a lip service statement. Till their departure the assimilation of her world was slow and cruel, at least the Borg were upfront about it.

The years of struggle was difficult, her workrate wasn't as much about speeding the recovery, but about not simply having the time to think or the energy to grief over those dark days when the people without their state broke down and betrayed each other. The self justification of their own selfish needs:

"In case"

"We won't get any next time"

"Emergency"

To the more threatening.

"I have a knife. Now give"

The last was a reminder as to why she had made one herself and carried it with her,even at work and at the uneasy rebuild of the new society, while longing for the old days that were locked in old memories.

She even recalled one of her father's followers, a hand selected group of aliens who developed reasoning under the guidance of the state, each one a member of the Union were brought to the house. Including a bajoran. It even drew a celebratory picture, it produced a wonderful oil styled image, an educated imitation that complemented cardassia's own. A gift to her from the request of her father.

In a time where the heart of Cardassia felt dead, that image came to her reminding her those days can come back. It was arrogance for the aliens to assume they knew better of Cardassia's history, they did not exist in the picture for a reason, as it retold a golden moment in the past when a Cardassian officer whose name was lost to time but bore the scars of service, knelt down beside a young bajoran child, showing new unventured stars, and how one day that Bajoran and the generation after it will travel those same stars and beyond with Cardassia by the side. It was meant to be the symbolism of what to come. Yet was not.

Not only had bajor strayed from that path but set foot upon Cardassia with the aliens, puppet string propagandists that talked about fictional crimes. Sometimes with those things that populated the Federation. Humans. Cardassia's moral cancer.

She had only seen one in person, it never had the courage to tell her like it told her father. That cardassians were without soul. To hear those words from her father, knowing that was what it said to him, and for her to see in later life what the aliens would do...had that _thing_ been at the aftermath of the bombings it would know Cardassia had one.

The worse part she could never admit to her heritage and status, Klingon, Romulan and Federation had all named and vilified members of the old Cardassia and each had their own way of removing them, and their families. Even in death they shamed her father, a great man but one she could not talk about, here on the former Romulan section families were taken and never mentioned. It had been best for her to be forgotten, a self-exile in her own world.

They, the alien occupiers, were gone. For now, but her silence remained, mindful that sympathizers had been conditioned and even blaming the likes of her father despite the truth. Rebuilding and hiding herself within a facade.

'Jil…'

'This better be important, and i'm serious about that'

'Look to your west, they're sending out another ship!'

'So he really meant it?'

She saw the wonder moving silently high in the sky, climbing higher, a few steps of rock made little difference but it added to the illusion that it did. Bulky and large flanked by a scout, it was a colony class, a symbol of an expansive promise by the new leader.

If the radiation wasn't lethal she would had taken the suit off to give her eyes an unobscured look.

There was a swift rush of excited chatter before an observational silence, it was going to happen but watched they did all the same.

The lights of plasma lit around the engines and within a half a blink they left breaking in and out and away from the atmosphere into deep space. It was official. Colonial expansion had at last returned, the confinement of the home system was no more.

She was skeptical about this new leader, who despite stepping forth from the aftermath of the bombing seemed at front an alien sympathizer, a federation one for that. He wasn't at all critical despite the blatant evidence, and his criticism at a war vetrean before that, while won favours from some, was in her eyes an attack on Cardassian heritage.

Still he held his promise and he was seen becoming more silent in regards to the bombing, perhaps reluctant to accept the undisputed facts, still if he was as brave in his vision in re-starting Cardassian growth then he should be equally brave in admitting the results of the investigation. A different voice came, one of the equalled ranks to her spoke with a near commanding tone.

'Jil, your needed at Central'

'What's the problem?'

'Base lead wants to organize a future inspection and needs your input. Don't worry we already someone to cover your workload'

'...Sure'

She was annoyed in having to accept, it was already arranged, therefore objection was a meaningless gesture. Packing her tools, giving a quick debrief to her teammates, the inevitable 'final handshake' joke came in, still the frequent inspections were part of her role, keeping people on their toes, the site passed with outstanding so it make sense her input would be needed so they can come close to matching hers. It would never be as good, 'no one can do a job as well as the one you love' a phrase often passed round and she highly doubted any staff at moment had that capacity to excel.

Arriving at the transport it picked her up and dropped off the substitute, there was no waiting which felt somewhat odd, while the craft wasn't flying high it was custom to wait for staff to get the safety belts on first, with the blowing winds feeling stronger implying an increase in speed. She said nothing, the subtle changes weren't insidious by any means but they were to her notification out of normal routine.

'We're here'

Jil simply nodded and hopped off the transport, the helmet she can at last take off after hitting yet another decontamination scan, stripping away last of any radioactive risk, she barely got the helmet off and not even had time to direct herself to the changing room when one of the management's leads prompted her that they were waiting and there was no time for that. Now she was beginning to think something was up, maybe they knew.

The door slid open, but the first to greet her was her employer and suddenly that joke was no more she was caught offguard as he held out his hand for her to shake muttering 'You're on the up now kid' and left.

It dawned on her that he just congratulated her on some kind of promotion, one that she knew nothing about but she did recognize the face of the several people in the room seated awaiting for her. Her jaw dropped, as if fate overheard her earlier private thoughts and cued in it's little joke in the form of a tall figure, the lead minister of Cardassia; Trelan Moset.

'Lead minister Moset?' Blurted out fast and not denying her greet was a question of shock why someone of his status would be down here? Moset in turn smiled and played down the response.

'Please it's just Trelan.' With polite insistence. 'I know public outlets have been making a big deal of my name of late but I was always known as Trelan before, and I see no reason why that would change.'

'You don't deny it though?'

'I don't deny I ever had a caring figure in my life, but to learn Crell was my actual father opens up a connection to the old world. And in turn not judge the past of others as much. I think there's been too much of that of late.

'Yes...yes there has' Privately Jul assumed Trelan had sincere regrets attacking Cardassia's heritage, it seems the discovery and truth that came with it brought about his own self-examination of how the Federation had corrupted him.

'It would explain my love of literature of course' The smile was warm with a good chuckle. 'But Cardassia can only settle when it has asserted her confidence. To that end I approved of immediate space exploration. We are all threatened by recent events'

'I'm not following'

Another Cardassian, the one not sitting spoke, his posture suggested someone that was an administrator of authority.

'Minister Moset had learnt of the evidence piled up that it was a Federation bomb'

'But that's common knowledge'

'No.' The snapped response was immediate 'It was common speculation' He sounded a little rueful about it as well. 'We evaluated, as we needed to know as to why and we think it's because the Federation wanted to greenlight internal conflict, a disunion Cardassia would be the template to send a permanent peacekeeping force.

'Convenient from a group that seeks to make peace last'

'Jil let slip of her agreement without realizing it, to her astonishment it drew no negative response, the room was silent but there no disagreeing looks.

'Our minister has plans, you are to be part of'

'Any part would surely be too big a step above the role I now have'

Moset gently smiled and now spoke.

'Certain words aside, your tone was strong and passionate, you believe Cardassia's safety is her greatest priority which is why I am to offer you a role within the energy division. By the end of this week, Agriculture, Industry, Energy and research will all be nationalized. Streamlined to support my hands on take. I did promise that to the populus afterall... we need to be very responsive to this declaration of terror.'

She couldn't think of doing anything besides standing up and nodding in thanks. She glanced round the other figures, now understanding their role, all in relation to this new structure. This wasn't a step up, this was the equivalent of a flea jumping from the back of the smallest household carer and landing on the summit of Cardassia's highest peak! They knew she was competent but they also knew she had the right views for them it seemed.

'So these people here are all your advisors?'

Moset picked out the cardassian furthest away who was showing nerves, the presence seemed a little overwhelming for him.

'Kasus will be our new lead for Agriculture, determining rations, output, everything he will act that I instruct on...Smile my good man!'

'Sorry I'm just nervous, sir'

'Kasus was one of the lower officials from the old government but his friend was sadly caught in the blast. He is a bit concerned for his own safety, as I am for other staff tied close to that tragedy. Another official sadly terminated his own life. Jeskut Trion. Did I pronounce that right kasus?'

'Yes Minister sir'

Mosset nodded back while mentioning the other two in passing, a woman, Nirrel the most senior out of everyone here and Zeao who simply gave a nod and mutter, for the lead of research he wasn't very forward about himself.

She never got the name standing by Moset's right side, he looked at her anticipating she may ask but his eyes told her in a stare where the eye did not blink.

They said 'Don't'

Please by all means Jil take some time to accompany yourself with your new colleagues, and of course, friends' There was a chuckle from almost everyone when said, while meant it did have the mocking tone that most here have heard from the endless holographic corporate learning panels.

'You're not staying?'

'I have to get back to a political analyst that I promised I would answer some questions on, but we will all be meeting at the transport shortly' He smiled again. 'That you for joining us'

Jil breathed a sigh of relief while being involved in the exchange of pleasantries and curiosity, the skin deep process of profiling.

Kasus though still remained nervous, if anything he looked slightly more anxious now that the minister had left.

* * *

'You had to remind him about that didn't you?'

'Just seeing if he still got the hint, nothing wrong with that'

'If you tug the lease too hard, the house carer will choke'

'So long as he is choked or saying the wrong words then it's fine' Mosset assured. Kasus was a brilliant cardassian in intellect, he handled the early days of food shortages under alien governance, educating replicator use, wellbeing, he saved a lot of lives by his hard work, so retaining his services was not an option, even when he did not agree with the vision and offered resignation. Much like his ally, Jeskut.

And yet Jeskut did not take the bombing well, a resignation under grief and 'tragedy' One of the keywords along with peaceful to describe his unexpected suicide. It was no lie, simply a more preferable truth. Though Kasus was a smart one.

He knew Jeskut well, enough to know he didn't resign under, nor died of "grief" Nor was it a peaceful end.

And just after Kasus had come back from his friend's funeral did it all piece together, noting the unusual group of Cardassians from the other end of his private road, powerfully built, battle-eyed stares as he drove past, to the unexpected surprise of seeing Moset happily talking with the people that mattered to him the most. His wife and child. The conversations between them had been cordial and Moset was clearly there with a few cups empty as he sat. Waiting.

So when the offer came for a second time, planted in their friendly talk did Kasus not disappoint. The Frengai had a proverb. 'The longer the smile, the sharper the knife' and Moset gave a long smile on that day, knowing Kasus had no alternative but to accept.

The rest though, all were either affiliates by their closet views he hoped to pry out more over time or were sympathetic to the true order in some relation. Did they secretly suspect that they were picked because of this? Maybe not all but Jil was no accident, Moset made it his plan to study his candidates.

'When will you tell them about the military?'

'As it stands we have no Military, in word anyway, the appropriate phrase for now is 'Expansive reconnaissance' believe me it pains me to know our starting fleet is just some scouts and a colonial ship. But it's more then just pride, it's getting everyone on the transitional phase. Clenching his fist with a slight aggression of ambition in his words. 'Reclaiming our first interstellar colony will be our first step and encouragement to establishing a better frontier force.'

His friend thoughtfully paused. Assuming colonization, identity restored, our space defined again, what about our once occupiers? The aliens and the Klingons.'

Moset never tagged the Klingons under 'Aliens' to him they were much worse. A backward species of thugs, evidence that natural selection by nature was flawed. A hopeful universe was one that was without them.

'To settle for our space alone would still be an act of appeasement'

'We are only in this position because the other powers pulled out. It's one thing to regain our strength but to "return the favour" defies the sense of your planning.'

'Korin' Moset addressed him bluntly, there was no compromise in his eyes over this. 'There are Cardassians who need that outlet of justice, her worlds united, and the Obsiden returned.' Grabbing him the shoulders he sought reason to his comrade. 'The building still stands, out there powerless and left to decay. I can bring it back! But I _need_ the justification for it given all the lies that had been stacked against it. Her existence is based on a need to survive.'

'Alright, I'll produce something, if you listen to what I have to say; This "analyst" is this the nationalist you talked about?'

'I'm I to be worried?'

'The patriotic are fanatical and short sighted, but they are not stupid. If you need someone to do the work most would shy from that's fine, but their own reasoning is their best means of manipulation. By all means recruit him but keep him at arm's length.'

There a smile that gave an expressive response of arrogance in spite of the warning, it kind of felt like a challenge to Moset.

'I'll keep it in mind'

'Of course you will'

And again Moset simply smiled and moved on, leaving Korin to check on the recruited, or at least making sure Kasus was still dissuaded from saying the wrong words.

* * *

AN: This took a long time to do a followup, simply because I had all this written up at one point, only to lose it, to say i was demotivated to pick this up is a understatement. Still I finally got round to producing a second chapter.


End file.
